Swearengin,Yee Vie for State Controller as Perez Ends Bid

July 18 (Bloomberg) -- Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin will
face California Board of Equalization member Betty Yee in the
race for state controller after former state Assembly Speaker
John Perez ended his bid.

Perez, a Democrat who fell 481 votes short of Yee for
second place in the June primary, decided to call off a recount
he had requested July 6 in an effort to advance to the November
election, he said in a statement.

“Today I have made the decision to bring the recount
process to an end, and pledge my full support to Betty Yee to be
California’s next controller,” Perez said in the statement.
“There is simply not enough time to see this process through to
the end given the fact that counties must begin printing ballots
in the next few weeks.”

Swearengin, a Republican who helped steer Fresno away from
the brink of bankruptcy, received the most votes with 1,001,473,
followed by Yee, a Democrat, with 878,195, and Perez with
877,714, according to official results from the California
Secretary of State’s office. Under state law, the top two
finishers move on to the general election regardless of party
affiliation.

“I’m looking forward to a healthy debate about our
differing visions for state government and how best to use the
controller’s office to support economic growth and fiscal
stability,” Swearengin said in a statement.